The government is really seeking to push the courts to do what they haven’t been able to persuade Congress to do. That’s to give it more broad, sweeping authority to help the Department of Justice hack into devices, to have a backdoor into devices, and the law simply does not provide that authority.

Boutrous Jr also said that Apple objects to what it sees as the court’s improper use of the 1789 All Writs Act to force the company to create something that it says does not already exist.

Where Judge Sheri Pym simply ordered Apple to comply, without it getting the appropriate time to respond, the company clearly feels it has more friends in Congress.

Apple spent record sums last year lobbying US policymakers, some $4.5 million, as well as giving more than $100,000 towards individual campaigns.